Residents like Florence Bradley who've lived in Hyde Park for decades are worried about being forced to relocate from their homes.
"Please let me stay, because I have gotten used to this, and I can't find anywhere to stay better than here," Bradley said.
City officials are launching efforts to remove residents from the area. In October, the commission voted to spend $2.3 million on property in the Hyde Park neighborhood to build a regional detention pond, an area to temporarily hold a set amount of water while slowing draining to another location.
"With the issues of Hyde Park being the lowest point in that area, and of course it floods all the time when it rains," said Augusta-Richmond County commissioner Corey Johnson. "That would be an idealistic location."
There have also been rumors of contamination in the land. But for some, Hyde Park is the idealistic location for them to live.
"Some people don't even have mortgages out here," said Nora Roberts. She recently renovated parts of her house. "And I did work on my home. And now they come talking about they want to tear down everything."
The relocation efforts is not federally funded, but city officials say families will receive relocation expenses and assistance to purchase and move into homes of equal size and value. For those who have already paid off their mortgages, they will be offered lump-sum payments equal to the value of their houses. And some Hyde Park residents think it's a good deal.
"Some of the homes are really old so it might benefit them to get something new or kind of comparable that's sufficient," said Earnest Washington. Just two month ago Washington moved into a Hyde Park home, and he doesn't mind moving from the area.
"They will have something to leave to their loved ones that's worth something," Johnson said.
"Right now, of course there's been all this theories of Hyde Park and the values of homes. We're not giving them the value of what they say it is in Hyde Park. We're giving them fair value of what a house would be anywhere.
Which is what city officials may need to make clear to residents who are apprehensive to relocate.
Beginning March 5th, developers are scheduled to go interview families and guide them through the relocation process. Developers want to start moving families out by Augusta 2012.
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